- The Estonian Refugee Council established an official presence in the occupied Palestinian territory.
- We began operations in Sudan, in hard-to-reach areas of Central and South Darfur, where we are providing cash assistance to conflict-affected families together with local partners and establishing safe referral pathways to protection and other essential services.
- With support from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we supported nearly 17,000 people in Lebanon.
- Since the start of the full-scale war, we have provided cash assistance to more than 340,000 people in Ukraine.
- In Armenia, community councils and self-help groups held regular meetings and training sessions to support people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh in rebuilding their lives.
- We are building the DigiCap network of experienced digital specialists to address challenges related to digitalisation in the humanitarian sector and to support humanitarian organisations in improving the efficiency of their work in complex crisis situations. The project is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Luxembourg.
Ukraine
We provide cash assistance, which allows people affected by the war to purchase food, medicines, hygiene products, and other essentials. In July, we assisted more than 2,920 people. As of now, we have provided cash-based assistance to more than 342,220 conflict-affected people. Cash assistance is provided for 3–6 months. Registration is carried out through Estonian Refugee Council's local registration points or via the online application platform. Currently, our focus is on assisting those in need in frontline areas in Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sumska, Dnipropetrovska, Mykolaivska and Odeska and Kherson oblasts. The programme is supported by the European Union, the US Government, the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, and the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Estonian Refugee Council is the lead partner for the European Union funded project, while Acted is the lead for the US Government funded consortium.
We support livelihood activities related to agriculture, livestock, food production, and various services through emergency assistance, with the aim of strengthening people’s self-reliance. The support amount is around 700 euros. In July we shared 20 grants in two oblasts: Kharkivska and Dnipropetrovska. Since February, we have shared nearly 830 grants altogether. The programme is funded by the European Union and the US Government.
We run entrepreneurship programmes to help people affected by war create sustainable sources of income for themselves. We support new and existing businesses in Poltava, Cherkasy, Dnipro, Kirovohad, and Kharkiv oblasts. In July, we gave out five business grants, as of today, we have distributed a total of 347 grants for both existing and new businesses. The project is developed in partnership with Acted and supported by the US Government.
Estonia
Through the Language Ladder programme, we support Ukrainian refugee youth in language learning and social integration. In July, the weekly practical language group sessions in Pärnu came to an end – kids visited an alpaca farm! The language group for adults also concluded in Tallinn. The final language group for young people began, meeting regularly twice a week. Read more about the first quarter and second quarter of 2026 and the “invisible language learning” methodology used in the project on the Estonian Refugee Council’s website. The project is being implemented in collaboration with Tallinn University and the Polish organisation Dobra Fabryka. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Social Fund Agency. Neither the European Union nor the Granting Authority can be held responsible for them.
The refugee youth-led project Youth Pulse has been launched, focusing on building a community in Tartu where both young people and older residents come together. Through a range of activities, the project develops and strengthens intergenerational relationships to help newcomers adapt more easily. In July, we went on a hike in Taevaskoda, with our oldest participant aged 75. We also explored Estonian film classics and watched Viimne reliikvia (The Last Relic). Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
We conduct monthly adaptation support training sessions on various subjects, including use of e-services, parenting, education system, adaptation of pensioners, legal matters, entrepreneurship, medical and social system, labour market, as well as legal foundations and residence permits. In July, 152 people took part in our training sessions. The new AI-focused sessions proved particularly popular, introducing the basics of artificial intelligence and exploring how modern AI tools can support everyday life and adaptation in Estonia. These were followed by legal training sessions covering questions related to extending temporary protection, as well as the rights and opportunities associated with different types of residence permits in Estonia. Since 2022, more than 14,600 people have taken part in our training sessions.
We organise regular group activities and community events across Estonia. The Language Roulette programme continued to bring together Estonian speakers and people with a refugee background for informal language practice. Our active programme for older adults also continued, providing a safe and welcoming space for socialising, sharing experiences, and gaining practical knowledge. With support from donations collected among members of the British-Estonian Chamber of Commerce, we continued organising activities that strengthen community connections and support the integration of people with a refugee background. In July, our activities were full of fun and energy: we visited the Piusa caves and visitor centre, as well as Saadjärv beach, where we enjoyed pedal boating and paddleboarding.
In cooperation with the Integration Foundation, we are giving seminars to strengthen the capacity of local governments in the fields of migration and integration. In 2026, seminars took place in Haapsalu, Pärnu, Võru, Valga, Kärdla, Põlva, Põltsamaa, Kuressaare, Tallinn and Tartu. Cultural sensitivity training sessions have been held in Pärnu, Tallinn and Tartu. In total, 14 seminars and training sessions have been carried out across Estonia in the first half of the year. The project is co-funded by the European Union through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Ministry of the Interior.
In cooperation with the Integration Foundation, we began organising various events across Estonia to increase the civic engagement of third-country nationals, including beneficiaries of international protection. The aim is to strengthen mutual understanding and trust, and to help third-country nationals cope better with everyday life and participate more actively in society. In July, we visited Lahemaa National Park, where we enjoyed a hike through the beautiful nature and explored the charm of Palmse Manor. Project no. AMIF.1.02.23-0005 “Cooperation activities to increase the civic engagement of third-country nationals, including beneficiaries of international protection” is co-funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
As part of the Refugee Councils United for Youth project, we are developing international cooperation in youth work with the Finnish Refugee Council, the Irish Refugee Council and the Danish Refugee Council’s youth organisation. The aim of the project is to strengthen the capacity of refugee councils in different countries to involve young people with refugee backgrounds in their activities, thereby increasing their civic engagement. An overview of the study on youth engagement and sense of belonging, conducted in winter, is available on the Estonian Refugee Council’s website. The project is funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme.
We provide counselling by appointment at the Estonian Refugee Council office (Vambolo6, Tallinn) every day from 10 am to 5 pm. Our information hotline is open to all refugees, as well as institutions and individuals assisting them, at +372 5881 1311 (Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm), and via email at counselling@pagulasabi.ee.
Armenia
Thanks to funding from the European Union, we have launched four community councils so people with refugee backgrounds can voice their concerns and take part in decision-making processes that affect them. In July, the groups carried out their regular activities, like basket weaving training sessions in Stepanavan, led by a Dilijan group member, and capacity-building sessions. Additionally, the Gyumri group was fostering emotional and mental recovery of 50+ women displaced from Nagarno-Karabach, and in Yerevan, a public forum on employment, educational and healthcare rights of displaced people from Nagarno-Karabach was held. The Yerevan group also held a training on employment skills. In July the disbursement of Masis and Martuni self help group grantees was carried out. Sevan and Gori groups continued their sessions on a regular basis. A monitoring visit was conducted in Dilijan and Ijevan for Dilijan grantees. The programme is funded by the European Union.
We aim to strengthen Armenia’s green business ecosystem and promote circular economy principles through non-formal entrepreneurship education in public schools. Together with partner organisations, an agribusiness education game and extracurricular learning module will be developed, piloted in schools, and promoted for nationwide use. The project will introduce game-based learning methods, improve environmentally sustainable entrepreneurship education, and strengthen the capacity of education providers to deliver it. The programme is funded by ESTDEV – Estonian Centre for International Development.
Lebanon
The Estonian Refugee Council concluded a humanitarian aid response in Lebanon in cooperation with the local organisation Nusaned. We distributed hot meals, food parcels and essential basic items to internally displaced people, particularly families with children, older people and people with disabilities. Altogether, we distributed 16,800 food portions, 50 ready-to-eat food parcels, and supported 79 families with mattresses, blankets and pillows. The programme is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Occupied Palestinian territory
The Estonian Refugee Council established an official presence in the occupied Palestinian territory to expand its humanitarian and livelihoods programmes in both Gaza and the West Bank, with a focus on cash assistance and supporting people to rebuild their livelihoods. Read more on the ERC website.
Sudan
The Estonian Refugee Council began operations in hard-to-reach areas of Central and South Darfur, providing cash assistance to conflict-affected families and establishing safe referral pathways to protection and other essential services. In the first phase, we aim to reach around 270 families, or 2,700 people. Read more on the ERC website. The project is implemented in cooperation with Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) and local partners and is supported by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).